Women and rebels honoured

Look what happens when you get a government that is actually working for people, rather than the rich and business: a New Year's Honours List evenly split between women and men and covering a huge swathe of social concerns.

There are scientists in there, folks who've served their communities, people who've worked for Māori, for children, for film, for women, health, fashion, people with disabilities, art, publishing, wildlife …

When I was much younger and New Zealand was much more rigid than it is today, it was against the law to say the word bullshit in public. Famously, Tim Shadbolt, who went on to write a book called Bullshit and Jellybeans was arrested. Now look what he's up to:

Sir Tim Shadbolt has completed his journey to respectability, from activist to a knight of the realm.

Once best known as an anti-Vietnam war protester who was arrested 33 times, including once for using the word "bullshit", Sir Tim has gone on to become the country's longest serving mayor. …

Sir Tim said the honour was a reflection of the Queen taking a more inclusive view of the sort of people who should be recognised in society.